::4 (ONSUIIMIM VRRANdl All MS 



be reorganized into three regional advisor> grt>ups with 

 terms ot" rclcrciKC c\p>iiuloi.l to idcIikIo hahital manage- 

 ment. I'hc IX'partinciU has hitherto hail no ailvisorv 

 group eoneerned with habitat managenicni, though this 

 probablv attracts the wiilesi public interest ot ail of the 

 lX'partnient"s resivinsibihties. Many ol the people and 

 organizations with this interest (for example, fishing and 

 environmental grinips, Indians, anil other resource iiulus- 

 tnes) are alsi> interested ui enhancemeiu and uideed they 

 are represented on the present task group. Because habi- 

 tat management and enhancement are inextricably 

 linked, it is logical for one advisory group to deal with 

 them both. 



This organization should be regionally based to focus 

 kx'al public concerns and to facilitate participation. I 

 propose that it consist, imtially at least, of three groups. 



4. Tliret* regional Fisheries conservation coniniitees 

 should be appointed, one each for the north, south and 

 Fraser River administrative areas. 



i) These committees' terms of reference should 

 direct their attention to matters relating to 

 enhancement and habitat nianagenK>nl in the rel- 

 evant area. 



ii) They should consist of not more than eight mem- 

 bers appointed by the Minister (or, at his discre- 

 tion, by the Director General) for definite terms, 

 drawing upon (but not being limited to) repre- 

 sentatives of organized groups with relevant 

 interests in the region. 



iii) The Area Manager should appoint one of his staff 

 to serve as a participating but nonvoting member 

 of the a)nmiittee and to provide technical advice 

 and documentation. 



iv) Each committee should choose its own chairman, 

 establish its own working procedures within gen- 

 eral guidelines and determine its own agendas, 

 taking account of any matters referred to it by the 

 Director General, Area Manager or Pacific Fish- 

 eries Council. 



v) F^ch committee should report at least annually to 

 the Minister through the Pacific Fisheries Coim- 

 cil. 



These regional groups will focus public concerns and 

 advice in each of the three regions, which are to some 

 extent complemented by the regional organization of the 

 provincial resource management agencies, the Depart- 

 ment itself, and its geographic working groups. I suggest 

 that in addition to their regional activities, the Depart- 

 ment support a joint annual meeting of the committees at 

 which time they can review with the planners and the 

 Salmonid Enhancement Board the general direction of 



the enhancement and inventory programs as well as habi- 

 tat management policy, anti comnuinicatc their conclu- 

 sions ami comiiieiils in a report to the Minister. I hese 

 groups could also channel public advice on the u.se of the 

 Fisheries Conservation Fiiiul recominciulcil in Chapter 3. 



Spifiul rvfihmnl nuinnfiviiK'iit aminiittecs The Depart- 

 ment has already established special committees for con- 

 sultation on fisheries management in certain areas, 

 referred to earlier. From time to time other special advi- 

 sory groups will be needed to channel public concerns 

 and advice in particular areas. For these 1 recommend — 



5. U)cal advisory conunittees slMtuld be appointed to 

 deal with special fisheries habitat or management 

 problems in piuliciilar iu^eas where these problems 

 cannot be adequately dealt with by the fisheries advi- 

 sory committees or the fisheries conservation commit- 

 tees. 



i) These committees' terms of reference should be 

 defined geographically as well as with respect to 

 the specific problems to be considered. 



ii) The chairman and members of these committees 

 should be appointed by the Minister (or, at his 

 discretion, by the Director General or Area Man- 

 ager) for definite terms, drawing upon (without 

 being limited to) respresentatives of local interest 

 groups. They should be reimbursed for expenses 

 associated with committee work. 



iii) The Area Manager should appoint one of his staff 

 to serve as a participating but nonvoting member 

 of each committee and to provide technical advice 

 and docimientation. 



iv) Each committee should report at least aimually in 

 writing to the Minister through the Pacific Fish- 

 eries Council. 



Within these guidelines, arrangements for consulting 

 with local interest groups should be adapted to specific 

 needs. In the long term, I foresee a general shift from 

 coastwide consultative structures to regional and local 

 bodies capable of providing more intimate communica- 

 tion between regulatory authorities and local interests. 



Several participants in the Commission's hearings sug- 

 gested that the government should establish formal river- 

 basin boards to focus public concerns about the manage- 

 ment of particular river systems.'' Some proposals involve 

 delegating regulatory powers to these boards along the 

 lines of Conservation Authorities in Ontario,'" or the 

 river boards in the United Kingdom and some European 

 countries." The proposed scope of these boards goes well 

 beyond fisheries policy to include regulating other 

 resource activities, industrial development and regional 

 planning. Here, the province has responsibility for most 



